University of Minnesota Laryngology Research Program
Voice Upper Airway & Swallowing
Area of Focus
The Laryngology Research Program at the University of Minnesota studies disorders involving the larynx, such as hoarseness, chronic cough, swallowing and breathing difficulty. Our goal is to develop treatments that improve the lives of patients with these disorders. Our program focuses particularly on the relationships between psychological factors and voice disorders, measurements of upper airway pressures during voice production using high-resolution manometry, and laryngeal stimulation to improve chronic cough and describing patient perspectives on airway stenosis.
Quantification of Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia with High-Resolution Manometry: Development of Tools for Objective Diagnosis and Treatment Response Monitoring
- UM1TR004405-01A1, University of Minnesota CTSI (Blazar, PI), K12TR004373, University of Minnesota CTSI (Ingbar, PI), NIH/NCATS, K12 Scholars Career Development Award (Hoffmeister, PI), 09/01/2024 - 08/31/2027
Myofunctional Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in U.S. Service Members With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury
- DoD CDMRP USUHS MDO: VP-24-002, University of Minnesota (Multi-PI: Jesse Hoffmeister), Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (Multi-PI: Nancy Solomon), 10/1/2024 - 9/30/2027
Development of Physiologically-Based Measures of Disease Severity in Adductor Laryngeal Dystonia
- Catalyst Grant (Hoffmeister, PI), Dr. Ralph and Marian Falk Medical Research Trust, 11/1/2024 - 11/1/2026
Vibrotactile Stimulation of The Larynx for Refractory Chronic Cough
- R34HL174877 (Misono, PI), 8/15/2024 - 7/31/2027
Direct Quantification of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia with High-Resolution Manometry
- Career Development Award (Hoffmeister, PI), Dystonia Coalition/NIH Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network, NS065701, TR001456, NS116025 , NIH/NCATS/NINDS, 08/01/2022 - 07/31/2023, 08/01/2023 - 07/31/2024 NCE
Psychological Factors Influencing Voice Outcomes: Technology-Based Asssessment and Intervention
- K23 DC016335 (Misono, PI), NIH/NIDCD, 7/01/2017 - 6/30/2023
Psychological Factors Influencing Voice Outcomes: Impacts in Gender Minority Patients
- 3K23DC016335-04 (Misono, PI), NIH/NIDCD, 06/01/2021 - 06/30/2023
Psychological Factors Influencing Voice
- Clinical Scientist Development Award (Misono, PI), Triological Society/American College of Surgeons, 10/01/2019 - 06/30/2023
Multidisciplanry Approach for Providing Personalized Patient Care for Airway Stenosis
- University of Minnesota New Opportunities to Improve Outcomes (NOTIO) program (Gray, PI), 2022 - 2023
Cai W, Wilson A, He G, Hary E, Tkac I, Misono S, Sayce L, Li Z. Comprehensive Numerical and Experimental Investigations on Endolaryngeal Mobilization. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2026 Apr 25;11:e70419. doi: 10.1002/lio2.70419. PMID: 42046663; PMCID: PMC13110169.
Loon E, Olson C, Gray R, Misono S, Sloan JA. Esophageal Abnormalities in Subglottic Stenosis: A Descriptive Retrospective Study. Foregut: The Journal of the American Foregut Society. 2026;0(0). doi:10.1177/26345161261440471
Solomon, N. P., Moran, K. M., Hoffmeister, J., & Dietrich Burns, K. (2026). Tongue Function Assessment for Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In Myofunctional Therapy in Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Oropharyngeal Exercises and Sleep Disordered Breathing (pp. 215-235). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Marker MM, Gallagher LW, Puri A, Hoffmeister J, Lunos S, Erickson H, Cruciani G, Kahn J, Misono S, Gray R. Dysphagia Characteristics in High Versus Low Vagal Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis. Laryngoscope. 2026 Apr;136(4):1800-1807. doi: 10.1002/lary.70229. Epub 2025 Oct 30. PMID: 41165069; PMCID: PMC12629264.
Parchem B, Rider GN, Misono S. Stigma and voice-related life impact among transgender and gender diverse adults. International Journal of Transgender Health, 2026: 27(1), 580–589. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2025.2458699
More Publications:
Collaborations
We enjoy research collaborations with a variety of colleagues across the university and at other institutions, from fields including speech pathology, kinesiology, psychology, engineering, neuroscience, gastroenterology, pulmonology, health services and outcomes, sexuality and gender health, biostatistics, and radiology.
